Some books deserve to be spread around. I plucked this one off the new-books shelf at my library (Mamie Doud Eisenhower Library, a great place) and haven't stopped thinking and talking about it since I opened the cover. Robert Kaplow wrote Who's Killing America's Great Writers? Think Sue Grafton, Danielle Steel, Stephen King, and Tom Clancy. Add one lesser known, possibly fictive novelist, and a Steve Martin look-alike, a witty Anne Bancroft, and lots of knowledge about the book world, the structure of a mystery, and the individual styles and themes of these mega-million-seller authors.
The concept is unique, rich, absolutely wonderful. And the writing is excellent to the point of Wow! Kaplow taps the style of each major writer as the point of view shifts to his or her focus. I confess to not having read Steel, but I imagine that Kaplow has, and he nails her lush, sexy style. He knows a great deal about King's home and the coast of Maine where I used to live and can verify the authenticity of the setting. I don't want to spoil this great, funny satire for you, but let me just tell you that King gets to play the hero. And the villain gets it in the end. Find this book and read it.
For those of you addicted to Stephanie Plum, I just discovered that number Fourteen is on the shelf. I can't wait.
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